


Love's Match

by Jld71



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alcohol, Clueless Jared Padalecki, Clueless Jensen Ackles, Dating, Kissing, Legends, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:01:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29697489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jld71/pseuds/Jld71
Summary: Jared and Jensen are best friends. Jensen runs a matchmaking service that Jared employs in order to find Jared someone he can settle down with. After a couple of disastrous dates, Jared comes to the realization that Jensen is that person for him. Jensen has yet to find his “One”, believing in a family legend: when he kisses his “One”, he’ll hear a mysterious humming in his head. Can Jared convince Jensen they are meant to be together?
Comments: 24
Kudos: 116





	Love's Match

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cyncitymojo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyncitymojo/gifts), [J2_Girlz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/J2_Girlz/gifts).



> Written for the 20/21 Meant To Be challenge
> 
> Beta: wincest_whore
> 
> Based on the prompt: How the Cowboy Was Won  
> Ember Alzate is a fantastic matchmaker with one big problem: she can't find the perfect mate for herself! Alzate family legend says that when she kisses "the One" she'll hear a mysterious humming in her head. Well, Ember's kissed a lot of guys and she's never heard a thing. Now, instead of searching for herself, she vows to find her best friend, Ranger Lockhart, a bride. It's clear this smart, sexy man just needs to meet the right gal. Ranger's returned home to Cupid with marriage on his mind, but he's not interested in the parade of women Ember pushes under his nose. His thoughts keep returning to his best friend -- with her combustible combination of curves and sass. No one compares to Ember, but what's it going to take to convince her she's the woman for him?

_ “Jensen, people like us have the gift. We’re able to help others find their true love. But for us, we only find that one special person with a kiss. As silly as that sounds, but it’s true,” his mother, Donna said.  _

_ “But how will I know by just a kiss?” Jensen questioned in confusion, his big green eyes set on his mother as he sat in her lap, listening to her speak.  _

_ “Oh my sweet boy, it’s not just any kiss, it’s a magical kiss. One that will set off a humming in your head,” she assured him with a fond smile. “That’s how I knew your father was the one. That’s how you’ll know when you meet your one and only.” She hugged Jensen to her. “It’s how it’s been with all of us in our family with the gift. It’s our family’s legend, our legacy. Just wait, you’ll see.” _

Jensen had believed his mother’s words when they had been spoken to him so many years ago, and he still did. He just wondered how many men he’d have to kiss before he finally found the man he would spend the rest of his life with. He had a list; one that seemed to keep growing. Yet, no one had set off this mysterious humming in his head that heralded him finding the one he was meant to be with. He was becoming desperate. How could he help others find love when he had yet to? With a sigh, he forced those dark thoughts from his mind, reminding himself that he had a job to do; find those looking for their perfect match love. And the person he was about to see was Jared, his best friend. 

Getting up from his desk, he paused for a moment to steady himself and then made his way to his office door, pulled it open, and peered out into the small waiting room. His eyes met Ann’s, his assistant, and he smiled at her, nodding his head to let her know he was ready for her to send Jared in. He could have used the phone on his desk to call her, letting her know he was ready, but he found that to be impersonal. They both did. Ann had worked for him since he had taken over  _ Love’s Match _ from his mother. 

The business had been successful even then. Now, with Ann’s help, it seemed to be growing. There was never a shortage of those looking for love or their perfect match and it was his job to provide that the best he could. His success rate was nearly perfect. Sure there had been some bumps along the way. What business didn’t have problems, especially one that dealt with people’s emotions? He was always saddened when a match didn’t work out, but those were few and far between. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Ann’s voice calling out.

“Mr. Padalecki, Mr. Ackles will see you now,” Ann announced in her motherly sounding voice as she stood, an arm outstretched as she indicated for Jared to join Jensen.

Jared gave a soft chuckle as he stood up from the chair he had been sitting in. “So formal, Mrs. Gauthier. And here, I thought I’d be able to sweep you off your feet with my southern charm.” Jared winked at her, turning on that charm before smiling at her with his dimples on full display. 

“You just stop that. You won’t win me over with that smile of yours. Just like Mr. Ackles can’t pierce me with those green eyes of his. And, we’re in a work setting, so professionalism is key,” she announced as she placed her hands on her hips, waiting for Jared to follow Jensen into his office.

“Well, Mr. Padalecki, care to join me so we can step out of Mrs. Gauthier’s domain?” Jensen’s green eyes met Jared’s multicolored ones as they exchanged a friendly smile. 

“Of course, Mr. Ackles. I’m eagerly awaiting for you to work your magic,” Jared stated as he brushed past Jensen, entering Jensen’s office and taking the seat Jensen had offered him.

Before Jensen closed his office door for privacy, he saw Ann silently giving him two thumbs up as she normally did to encourage him. She wore a look of excitement on her face before schooling her features and sitting back down. Shaking his head, he shut the door, rounded his desk, and reclaimed his seat. “So, what brings you here, Jared? Since when have you been at a loss for companionship?” he asked as he picked up the file he had compiled on Jared from the forms Jared had been required to fill out once he had engaged Jensen’s services. 

“It’s not companionship I’m looking for, Jensen. It’s time I settled down. I’d like to find my one true match and figured since you run such a successful matchmaking business, and since we're friends, I thought you’d be able to help me with that,” Jared explained as he settled into the chair, letting himself get comfortable as he eyed Jensen. He, like Jensen, was gay, and at times it was easier to find someone to have a fling with than it was to find someone to settle down with. But now, he was at a point in his life where he wanted to settle down and to be married. 

He had returned home to Richardson, Texas to take over his family’s ranch a year ago and now that he had established himself as one of the top ranchers not only in the county but in the business, he wanted to find someone to settle down with like his parents who had taken one look at each other all those years ago and had instantly fallen in love. They had been happily married for nearly thirty-three years; never giving anyone else a stray thought. He wanted what his parents had. 

Peering at Jared over the open file in his hands, Jensen smiled and then lowered his eyes so he could read through the information he had gathered on Jared. His friend came from a wealthy family, having taken over his family’s ranch of raising cattle and horses. The money wouldn’t be an issue for Jared, not that he based his business or reputation on finding a match based on a person’s wealth. Jared was college-educated and world-traveled, having taken a few years off after college to see the world before returning home to take over his family’s business. 

He already had several men in mind that he could set Jared up, and he was sure one of those men would be the one Jared settled down with. So, why did the idea of sending Jared out to meet any of them rankle him? It had to be because he and Jared were best friends, and he felt protective over Jared and his business. 

Closing the file and placing it on his desk, he folded his hands together and leaned forward. “Well, Jared, you’ve come to the right place. I’m sure  _ Love’s Match  _ will be able to help you. More importantly, I know I can help you find the right one for you.” 

“Is that what you say to everyone that sits across from your desk looking for your help?” Jared questioned with a throaty chuckle. 

Jensen couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up and escaped him as he sat back in his chair. “Well, it is a good speech. And I run a good business, one I take pride in. So, yes, it’s what I say to everyone who comes to me looking for love and my help.”

“Well, you’ve always had an uncanny ability to find the right one for people. So, I’m placing my trust and my love life in your hands. Just remember, I’m not only counting on your ability, but I’m also your best friend.”

“Message received,” Jensen commented as he pushed himself away from his desk and stood up. “I’ve already found a man I think will be suitable for you. His name is Alexander. I’ve taken the liberty of setting up a meeting for you at the Weathervane for drinks tonight at seven. What happens after that is between the two of you.” 

“Wow, that was fast work,” Jared said as he stood, ready to leave Jensen’s office. “Do you really think this guy is the one for me?” Curiosity was getting the better of him as he waited for Jensen to answer him.

“The only way to find out is to meet him tonight for drinks. He’s got several things in common with you,” Jensen answered as he walked Jared to the door. “Go meet him and have a good time.” 

Jared rolled his eyes at Jensen. “Fine, I’ll go,” he huffed out. 

“Let me know how it goes,” Jensen called out as Jared walked out. He made eye contact with Ann before returning to his office to finish up before calling it a night. Jared had been his last client and all he wanted was to go home, have a beer and grab the book he had left on his nightstand and settle in for the night. 

Jared left  _ Love’s Match _ , hoping that Jensen knew what he was doing. With a few hours to kill, he returned to his ranch to shower and change before meeting Alexander that night for drinks. He could feel his nerves ramping up with the prospect of meeting this man. Jensen did seem to have some magical ability to set people up with the one they were meant to be with, he just hoped that in his case, things worked out.

With his day over, Jensen tossed his keys down on the hallway table and then made his way into the kitchen, grabbed an ice-cold beer, and then climbed the stairs that led to the second floor of his small two-bedroom home and wandered into his bedroom. After changing into one of his favorite old t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants, he climbed into bed, picked up his book, and flipped to the last page he remembered reading. Picking up his beer, he glanced at the clock to see it was past eight o’clock. He smiled, hoping that Jared was having a good time with Alexander. 

Jared sat at a table alone at the Weathervane, waiting for Alexander to join him. Glancing at his watch he noted that his date was nearly twenty minutes late. That didn’t bode well for Alexander in his opinion. Even though he was out on his own time, he hated to waste it; he just hoped that Alexander had a good reason for running late. 

Jared looked up as a man approached him, pulled out the empty chair across from him, and sat down, offering him no explanation as to why he was late, just his name before the man waved their waitress over. He looked on in confusion as the man ordered a drink, not bothering to take in the fact that he hadn’t asked Jared if he wanted anything. 

“Can I get anything for you?” the waitress, Kim, questioned as she shot Jared a look of dismay. 

“I’ll have a beer, whatever you have on tap is fine. Thanks.”

“You got it,” Kim acknowledged before disappearing to place their order.

“So, Jared, tell me about yourself,” Alexander said as he sat back in his chair and looked around the bar area they were seated in. 

Before Jared had a chance to say a word, Alexander’s phone rang. He watched as Alexander pulled it out and answered the call, which was another strike against him in Jared’s opinion. Alexander was still on the phone when their drinks were served, only stopping his conversation long enough to take a sip of his drink. By the time Jared had finished his beer, he was done with wasting his time. 

Pulling out his wallet, he tossed down enough money to cover their drinks and a tip for their waitress. Standing up he saw that Alexander had finally ended his call.

“Are you leaving?” Alexander asked.

“Yes, it seems that we’re not a match,” Jared said as he pushed his chair in. 

“How would you know? You haven’t even given me a chance.”

“Trust me, I just know,” Jared huffed out and then walked out, leaving Alexander watching his retreating form. 

“Jensen,” Ann called out after knocking softly on his office door.

“Yes?” Jensen watched as Ann pushed the door open and leaned against the door jam. 

“I have Jared on line one. He doesn’t sound happy,” Ann announced with a shake of her head.

“Thanks, I’ll handle it,” Jensen said as he eyed the phone on his desk. He couldn’t fathom why Jared wouldn’t sound happy, not after meeting Alexander for drinks last night.

“Good luck.”

Jensen watched Ann retreat from his office, closing the door to give him some privacy. Picking up his phone, he pressed the line on hold and was connected with Jared. “So, how did it go last night?” he asked eagerly.

“How did it go?” Jared’s annoyed sounding voice boomed from the other end. “Are you kidding me? Was last night some kind of joke?”

“Jared, I don’t understand…” Jensen managed to say before he was cut off by Jared’s retelling of last night. “Jared, calm down. It couldn’t have been that bad.”

“I had more chemistry with our waitress than I did with him, and I’m gay!”

“Okay, I get it,” Jensen said warily as he scrubbed a hand down his face. “So, the date was a disappointment.”

“Understatement of the century,” Jared snarked. 

“Jared…” Jensen sighed, not knowing what he could do to placate his friend. 

“I thought you said he’d be perfect for me!” 

“No, what I said was I was sure I could find the right one for you,” Jensen shot back feeling like he had to not only defend himself but his business. “I never said he was the one.” He shuffled a few files on his desk until he found Jared’s, wanting to read through it again. “Give me some time to go through my files. I’m sure if you give me a chance, I’ll make this next meeting for you one that’ll work.”

Jared snorted. “Are you sure? Or is the great matchmaker losing his touch?” He knew he wasn’t being particularly kind to Jensen at the moment and he had no idea why that was. Maybe it was because of the wasted night before or maybe it was because of something else? Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. 

“Jared…”

“Sorry, that was uncalled for. It’s not your fault Alexander was an inconsiderate dick. Just make sure whoever you set me up with next has good manners.”

“Of course, I’ll do my best and sorry about last night,” Jensen offered before ending their call. Tossing aside Jared’s file, Jensen leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and tried to figure out where things had gone wrong with setting Jared up with a match. On paper, Alexander had been perfect for Jared. So, what had happened? He forced those thoughts from his mind when he heard a knock on his door. “Yes?”

“Is everything alright?” Ann asked as she entered Jensen’s office. 

Jensen couldn’t help the slight smile that graced his lips. Ann was around his mother’s age and was very motherly toward him. She was perfect for the position she held as his assistant having years of experience working in the same capacity for his mother. When his parents had decided to retire, he had inherited the business. It only seemed natural he would since he had been groomed by his mother from a young age to take over in her place. 

He had gone to college with the idea of graduating with a degree in business and establishing himself in the corporate world. After graduating and working for a big business in Houston, Texas, he had known that life wasn’t for him. He wasn’t suited for life in the corporate world and hadn’t been happy working for a company that had no idea who he was. The man he worked for couldn’t remember his name, always calling him Jason. That had been the clincher for him, spurring him to return home to work with his mother for three years before she had left the business to him, and he had known he had made the right decision to keep  _ Love’s Match  _ open. He had countless happily ever after stories to prove him right, and he had lost track of how many weddings he had attended. 

“Yes, apparently the man I set Jared up with wasn’t a love match.”

“Really? That’s surprising,” Ann said as she looked Jensen over. “So what now?”

“It’s back to the drawing board,” Jensen confirmed as he held Jared’s file up. “I’ve just got to figure out what went wrong. What I got wrong.”

“Maybe it’s not what you did. Maybe it’s Jared. Did you think about that?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I just have a feeling, that’s all,” Ann commented before backing out of Jensen’s office to answer her phone, leaving Jensen to figure things out as to what he was going to do for Jared. After all, his reputation and that of his business were on the line, not to mention his friendship with Jared. All of those worries combined to make him find just the right man for Jared.

Jared looked down at his phone, rereading the message Jensen had sent him detailing the date Jensen had set him up on. He would be meeting Abraham at eight that night for drinks at the Peddler’s Daughter. Reading the man’s name, he wondered if Jensen was going to go through the entire alphabet, starting with every eligible bachelor whose name starts with the letter A. Looking at his watch, he had an hour before he had to meet Abraham. That gave him just enough time to take a shower, change, and get to the restaurant. 

When he walked into the restaurant, he was greeted by the hostess and brought to a table already occupied by a thin man sitting there drumming his fingers on the table. The man looked annoyed; as if he had been made to wait for Jared to show up, and he knew he wasn’t late. He had at least ten minutes to spare before their agreed-upon meeting time. After thanking the hostess, Jared offered the man his hand. “Abraham, it’s nice to meet you,” he said after sitting down. “Have you been here before?” 

“As a matter of fact, I have, and I expected you earlier,” Abraham said in a huff. 

“Excuse me?”

“I was told you would be prompt, not late.”

“Late? I’m not late. In fact, I was early,” Jared responded, not bothering to hide his irritation with the man sitting across from him. 

“There’s no reason to be combative, not when I’m stating a fact.”

Jared bit back his response to tell Abraham to go to hell. He forced himself to give the man a chance rather than get up and walk out. But when this night was over, he was sure there would be no way in hell he would ever see Abraham again. “How about we order?” Jared asked as he reached for one of the menus.

“Well, since you’re offering to pay, I don’t see where the harm is in seeing where this date takes us.”

Raising his menu to cover his face, Jared used it to hide the eye roll he shot Abraham. Wasn’t he the lucky one to be spending his evening with this man? He was pretty sure he’d be better off at home, having Jensen over for dinner then sitting across from the man Jensen had set him up with. And by the end of dinner, he couldn’t get away from Abraham fast enough. They had absolutely nothing in common, which left him wondering what Jensen was doing in order to find him a man he could settle down with because whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be working. 

When Jensen got into work he found Ann already there, speaking with someone on the phone. “He just walked in,” Ann said as Jensen approached her desk, noting how perplexed she looked. Placing the call on hold she pointed to the phone. “It’s Jared. From what I’ve gathered he’s upset about last night.”

Jensen patted Ann’s shoulder. “This is my problem. I’ll take his call.” He disappeared into his office, sat down, and picked up the call. “Jared, I take it that last night didn’t go well…”

“No, I’m calling because it was wonderful. Seriously, Jensen, it was another horrible date. He definitely wasn’t a match. I hope to god that this next date goes better.”

Jensen didn’t get a chance to respond to Jared’s outburst since Jared had hung up on him. Hanging up the phone, Jensen placed his elbows on his desk and cradled his head in his hands, wondering how he was going to fix things for Jared. All his other matches were working out perfectly. Every person he had set up recently was happy with the person they had been matched with. So why was it so difficult to find Jared his perfect match? 

“That bad?” Ann asked as she placed a cup of black coffee down in front of Jensen. 

“I guess you could say that.” Jensen sighed heavily. “What am I doing wrong? Everyone else is a match. Why can’t I find Jared his match? Maybe it’s because I’m losing my touch? Maybe it was because I can’t find my own perfect match. I mean my mom was happily married when she started  _ Love’s Match _ .”

“Maybe you’re being too hard on yourself,” Ann offered with a soft pat to Jensen’s hand. “And maybe it shouldn’t be you who finds Jared his match.” 

“No, he’s my best friend. Who else can do this for him?” Jensen asked, more to himself than to Ann. 

“I have a new intake file for you to look over. Maybe he’ll be the one for Jared.”

“Maybe,” Jensen acknowledged as he picked up the file Ann had indicated that lay on his desk. Picking it up, he sat back in his chair, reading through it as his mind began to work with the possibility that he might have just found Jared’s perfect match, and if he was right, then he could finally try to find his match as well. 

Jared once again found himself reading through the text message Jensen had sent him, wondering why he was going through with being set up with yet another man he was sure he would end up hating. That night he was meeting Brian. Seeing that name had him thinking that Jensen was definitely running through the alphabet in order to find him a suitable man to marry. He forced a smile on his face as he pulled open the door to the Muse Bistro and stepped inside. Within a few minutes, he was seated across from his date for the evening, trying to make small talk with him so they could get to know each other. “Have you eaten here before?” Jared asked as he looked up from his menu.

“No, and I probably won’t return either,” Brian stated with disdain.

“Why, is there something wrong?”

“There are only three vegetarian dishes on their menu.”

“Oh, are you…”

“Vegetarian? Yes, I am,” Brian commented, cutting Jared off. “I’m also against anyone whose business has anything to do with raising an animal for the sole purpose of raising it just to be slaughtered. It’s barbaric and appalling. All of those ranchers, they need to be run out of business. Don’t you agree?”

“Not particularly,” Jared said as he placed his menu down in front of himself. “I happen to own a ranch.” He pushed himself away from the table. “This was a mistake. You’re definitely not a perfect match for me.” He didn’t give Brian a chance to contradict him as he turned and walked out leaving Brian sitting alone at their table. As he climbed into his truck, he called _Love’s_ _Match_ , leaving a message for Jensen to call him in the morning when he got into his office. 

Jared was tired of the dates Jensen had set him up on. None of them was the one. He was beginning to wonder if Jensen was doing this on purpose. No, having known Jensen nearly all his life, he knew that wasn't possible. Jensen wasn’t like that. Jensen was sincere in everything he did. Jensen. His thoughts kept returning to Jensen; to his green eyes that were framed by long dark lashes and how they popped when they sparkled with happiness. How Jensen’s skin was spattered with cinnamon-colored freckles that stood out in contrast against the paleness of his skin. And then there were Jensen’s lips; soft looking and oh so kissably tempting. He and Jensen clicked as friends, and in truth, he wanted more than just friendship with Jensen. He wanted Jensen. He just had no idea how to convince Jensen that they would be a match. 

Recalling what Jensen had told him years ago, how Jensen would know he had met his one true love with a kiss, he started to formulate a plan, one he would need help with in order for it to work. He just hoped that Ann would be willing to be his accomplice in his plan. Grabbing his phone, he placed another call to  _ Love’s Match _ with the hope that he would be able to speak to Ann and convince her to help him. As soon as he heard Ann’s voice, he cut her off. “Mrs. Gauthier, it’s Jared.”

“Oh, Jared, how are you? I got your message, but I haven’t been able to give it to Jensen. He’s in a meeting with a new client. From the sound of your voice it didn’t go well, did it?”

“Yeah, it was horrible. The guy was a vegetarian and hated ranchers. Said anyone like me should be run out of business.” Jared heard Ann gasp in shock.

“Oh, no!”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t matter. Look, I’m in need of some help. Your help to be honest. I think the reason why these dates aren’t working out is that Jensen is setting me up with the wrong guys,” Jared explained.

“You’re right, he is. It’s about time you both came to your senses. I was wondering how long it would take either of you to realize it,” Ann said into the phone, shaking her head as she spoke despite Jared not being able to see her.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. You know it as well as I do that the two of you are each other’s perfect match.”

“Yeah, but the question is, how do I get Jensen to realize that?”

“It’s not going to be easy. You know the story.”

“Yes, how he’ll only know he’s met his true one by a kiss that sets off some mysterious humming in his head,” Jared said with a sigh. How could he possibly compete with that legacy?

“That boy’s mama used to tell that tale to him. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. Have you kissed him?” Ann asked, not able to stop herself from meddling in their affairs.

“No… I’ve never kissed him.”

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

What was he waiting for, Jared wondered to himself. “I… I don’t know. The right moment, I guess,” he finally admitted. But what was the right moment? Was it when he watched Jensen kiss another man that wasn’t right for him? Was it when he went on another abysmal date Jensen set him up on? No! The answer was no. He needed to man up and make Jensen see the truth that they were each other’s love match. 

“And you what, think that’s just going to magically happen?” Ann countered back.

“What’s Jensen’s schedule like today?” Jared questioned.

“He’s got back-to-back meetings with clients this morning…”

“But he’s free for lunch?” Jared interrupted, hoping the answer was yes.

“Yes, he is.”

“Good, tell him to meet me at the Weathervane at one. And if he tries to back out of it tell him he can’t or he’ll be pissing off an already disgruntled client.” Jared didn’t give Ann a chance to say anything since he had ended the call. Looking down at himself, he noticed how in need of a shower and a change of clothes he was, having been up since the crack of dawn dealing with running his ranch. He didn’t believe in letting others run his ranch when he was capable of putting in the hard work. He enjoyed getting his hands dirty. He had people he could rely on to help run the ranch, but the ranch was his to run and he took pride in the fact that he didn’t sit back on his ass and let that happen. Today, though, today he’d need to relinquish that control and let his staff run the ranch while he not only got ready and then left to meet Jensen. 

With that thought, he took the steps to his bedroom two at a time, racing to his room so he could figure out what he was going to wear. He stood in front of his open closet door, pushing and pulling at the hangers that held his clothes. Nothing seemed right for what he was about to do; bare his soul to Jensen and reveal his feelings for his best friend. With a sigh, he grabbed a pair of black jeans and a gray Henley, pairing that with a pair of comfortable gray boots, reminding himself that all Jensen knew was that it was just lunch they were getting together for before he slipped into the bathroom to clean up. 

A knock on his office door brought Jensen from his thoughts, the ones where he wondered if he would ever find the right man for himself. He was tired of being alone, and that’s what he’d be when he finally managed to find the right man for Jared. Once that happened Jared wouldn’t have time for him. Jared would be happy settling down with his perfect match, starting a life together with the man he was meant to be with and he’d probably hardly see Jared. It wasn’t like he hadn’t experienced that before when Jared had been away at college and then traveling, but that had been different somehow. Maybe it was because he knew at any time if he picked up the phone, Jared would take his call, no matter where Jared was or what he was in the middle of. Once Jared was finally with someone, he wouldn’t readily be available to take his call or even grab a beer with him. Things between them would change, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. Reminding himself that things changed, that some things even ended, he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. “Yes?” he called out and watched as Ann pushed open his office door. 

“You’re meeting Jared for lunch at one at the Weathervane.” Ann raised her hand, stopping Jensen when he started to protest. “You’re meeting him not only to placate an irate client but also to have lunch with your friend.” She didn’t give him a chance to say a word. She turned on her heels and walked out, closing the door behind her. 

Jensen stared at the now-closed door trying to make sense of what had just transpired. Before he could process it, his phone rang and he instantly reached to answer it, knowing it was the client he had set up a phone meeting with. He immersed himself in his work until it was time to meet Jared. 

Jared sat at the table waiting for Jensen to join him. His fingers fiddled with the glass of water in his hands, and his left leg kept bouncing from his nervousness. His eyes were trained on the door watching everyone that entered and left the restaurant until Jensen finally joined him. He felt relief and fear warring in him as Jensen approached their table, dressed in all black, making his green eyes pop. He stood just as Jensen got to their table and pulled him in for a hug, thumping Jensen’s back before he pulled away and they claimed their seats. 

“Jared,” Jensen acknowledged as he sat across from his best friend. He could feel his heart beating rapidly as he looked into Jared’s hazel eyes.

Jared felt Jensen’s verdant eyes on him and he looked up, meeting Jensen’s orbs before looking away to wave over their waitress. He was relieved to have Kim waiting on them, having had her as his waitress the night he met Alexander there for drinks. 

“Hello, I remember you. It’s nice to see you again,” Kim acknowledged as she approached the table. “Can I get either of you something to drink?” 

“I’ll just take a refill on the water.”

“Could I get a coffee, black, please?” Jensen requested as he looked up at the waitress, offering her a shy smile. 

“Sure thing. I’ll be right back with your drinks.” She backed away from the table but not before giving Jared a wide smile and a thumbs up. 

Jared did his best to suppress his chuckle, feeling like everyone knew what he was about to do.

“Jared, I’m glad you called. I’m sorry that things haven’t worked out for you with finding your perfect one, but give it a little more time. I’m sure I’ll find you the one you’re meant to be with.”

Before Jared could tell Jensen that there was no need for him to continue to set him up with anyone else, Kim appeared with their drinks, placing them down and grabbing his half-empty glass. 

“Thank you,” Jensen said as he met Kim’s eyes. 

“Are you ready to order?”

“I think we still need some time.”

“Of course, take your time. Just give me a shout when you’re ready to order,” Kim stated and then walked away giving them their privacy.

Jensen grabbed his coffee, holding it in his hands, letting the heat warm his fingers. He watched Jared as he fiddled with his glass of water. “How’s the ranch? It must be keeping you pretty busy,” he finally said when the silence between them got to be too much. 

“Yeah, it has been keeping me on my toes.” Jared pulled his hands away from his glass and then reached for Jensen’s hand but stopped, too afraid to actually touch him, fearing Jensen would pull away from him. “I didn’t ask you to meet me for lunch so we could talk about the ranch or even about being set up with someone else.”

Jensen eyed Jared’s hand, only inches from his. “Then why did you want to have lunch with me?” he asked, not daring to move or look up at Jared. 

“I wanted to see you. Talk to you. Tell you that I’ve already met my love’s match, it just took me a while to actually see it. To realize he was right in front of me this entire time.”

Jensen’s eyes met Jared’s. “You have?” he asked in a near whisper. He swallowed several times as he fought to get his rapid breathing under control. He hadn’t expected to hear that from Jared. He ran through the names of the men he had set Jared up with, wondering if this man was one of them. Then he wondered why he was overcome with a sudden sadness. He should be happy that Jared had met someone. “Who… who is he?”

“You,” Jared said, this time reaching for Jensen’s hand, clasping it and not letting go. 

“No.” Jensen shook his head in disbelief.

“Yes,” Jared said as he gave Jensen’s hand a slight squeeze.

Jensen pulled his hand from Jared’s grip. “You’re crazy,” Jensen announced and then pushed himself away from the table. Standing to his full height, he looked at Jared. “We’re friends, and this isn’t funny. Besides, you know about my family’s legend. How I’ll know with a kiss that sets off a humming in my head.”

“It’s not meant to be funny, and we both know there’s more between us than just friendship, or there could be,” Jared said as he stood. 

“This lunch, or whatever this is, is over,” Jensen informed Jared and turned to leave, feeling like he had been made a fool of. 

Moving quickly, Jared grabbed Jensen by the wrist, stopping him from trying to leave the restaurant. From trying to leave him. 

Jensen spun around to look at Jared’s hand on his wrist and sucked in a startled breath when Jared let go of his wrist and cupped his face, gently pulling him into a chaste kiss. As soon as their lips met he heard the unmistakable sound of humming in his head. No! No, this couldn’t be happening. Jared couldn’t be his  _ One _ , could he? But there was the humming sound in his mind, eclipsing everything else. And it had happened only after Jared had kissed him. He let his eyes slip closed as he gave in to the kiss, reaching up to tangle his fingers in Jared’s hair as the kiss deepened, not stopping until they were panting for air. “You…” he panted, “you’re my one.”

“And you’re mine,” Jared said, offering Jensen a smile, one that displayed his dimples before he pulled Jensen into another kiss. 

“What do we do now?” Jensen murmured against Jared’s lips when the kiss ended. 

“We have the rest of our lives together to find out.”

Jensen smiled up at Jared. “I like the sound of that.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Images found on Google


End file.
